Fastest Breakthroughs in History

Aaron bolted upright in a dark room, gasping for air as fear still lingered in his eyes. Cold sweat soaked his pajamas and dark hair. As he slowly regained his senses, he looked around at his familiar surroundings with confusion.

"What just happened?" he muttered to himself, his mind still foggy from the experience. "I died so quickly, I didn't even see what killed me."

Aaron licked his dry lips, wondering if he had been killed by one of those rabbits. But upon further reflection, he shook his head. While the rabbits were strong, they weren't that powerful.

He had felt the sensation of death once before during his time with [Exploration Time] and the figure, but that had just been a simulated experience. This time, the pain was all too real. His chest still throbbed from where he had been struck.

It wasn't even daylight yet, which meant that he had apparently died within a day in that place. Despite the pain wracking his body, he couldn't help feeling somewhat satisfied at having cheated death.

As he replayed the strange final scene in his mind, he remembered how his chest had been slashed open by some sharp object, causing his blood to gush out like a fountain. However, he couldn't recall who or what had attacked him.

As he pondered the surreal experience, incoherent thoughts stirred in his mind. He quickly sat down and opened the system, eager to make sense of what had just happened.

[Race: Fane (Human Form)]

[Spirit Crystals: 2 (Unranked)] *+2*

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 2 513]

[Cultivation: 1st Realm (Unranked)] [33/100]

[Cultivation Time: 1 Spirit Crystal per 2 Hours] [Upgrade (0/1000)]

[Training Time] [Unlock (0/10 000)]

[Hunting Dimension: 16 Hour] [Upgrade (0/8 000)]

"Why are there two more Spirit Crystals in this row?" Aaron muttered to himself, feeling confused. "Could this be a small benefit from hunting in that Dimension? Am I really the main character?" He couldn't help but laugh at the thought.

He decided to start using the Absorbed Spirit Crystals before touching the unused ones. "Now, should I upgrade something or breakthrough?" The answer to this question was fairly obvious. "Upgrade, of course!" Now that he had a source of Crystals, even if it was small, it had the potential to grow as long as he could hunt down as many of those rabbits as possible, but for him to make a large enough amount for an upgrade again wouldn't be anytime soon.

[Cultivation Time: 1 Spirit Crystal per 1 Hour] [Upgrade (0/2 000)] *UP*

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 1 513] * -1 000 *

"That's a disappointment," Aaron sighed. He had hoped that the upgrade would become 1,500, but it hadn't. "I'll use the rest of the Absorbed Crystals to break through!"

[Cultivation: 2nd Realm (Unranked)] [0/200] *UP*

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 1 446] * -67 *

Aaron was overwhelmed with a wave of energy that rushed through his body, filling every cell with a sense of pure bliss. However, as soon as it had come, the sensation abruptly ceased, leaving him feeling somewhat disappointed.

"These are about to be the fastest breakthroughs in the history of this planet!" With a smile, Aaron began his breakthroughs.

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 1 246] * -200 *

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 846] * -400 *

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 46] * -800 *

***

[Absorbed Spirit Crystals: 0] *NEW*

[Cultivation: 5th Realm (Unranked)] [46/1 600] *NEW*

A warm flow of Spirit Energy spread throughout Aaron's body, feeling like a gentle fire that burned through his skin. The sensation was intense, causing his skin to turn red as the powerful energy worked to refine his body. Even though he had already undergone the first four Realms - skin refinement, muscle refinement, tendon refinement, and organs refinement - he couldn't help but feel that the 5th Realm was somehow different.

Although Aaron couldn't feel it and only found comfort in each breakthrough, this was what the chat group had explained to him: the Unranked Stage was the starting point, the foundation for one's cultivation journey, often described as "the pillars to your palace" by Lisa. During this stage, cultivators had their bodies refined and strengthened to handle the challenges of the later stages.

As the energy coursed through his body once again, Aaron sensed a difference in its movements. Unlike before, this energy seemed to have a will of its own, focused on refining his skin once again, as if it were starting the process from scratch. This puzzled him, as Lisa had explained that from the 5th Realm to the end of the Unranked Stage, the focus would be on Bones Refinement, as bones are the most important part of the body.

Despite this discrepancy, Aaron couldn't deny the positive effects of the energy's actions. His skin was becoming smoother and tighter, and he even noticed a faint glow emanating from it. With each passing moment, he felt his body becoming stronger and more resilient.

To his surprise, he soon realized that the Spirit Energy was actually filling in the gaps of his incomplete skin refinement, effectively completing the process. The dead skin cells receded, and his skin became tighter, livelier, and even emitted a faint glow. It was as if he had been reborn with new skin.

After the Spirit Energy flow stopped, Aaron opened his eyes with a palpable sense of excitement. Despite the refinement being incomplete, he could already feel a significant increase in his power. Taking down another giant rabbit would be a breeze now. However, a nagging thought still bothered him.

"Why was the process different for me?" This question kept nudging at him, but he suddenly remembered something he seemed to have instinctively forgotten. "Wait, I'm not human!"

Aaron's mind raced as he recalled the intricate golden inscriptions etched on the bones of his Fane form. It was a clear indication that his cultivation path might take an unprecedented turn. The prospect both thrilled and intimidated him. On one hand, it could mean new opportunities and untapped potential, but on the other, it would require him to navigate uncharted territory alone, without any external guidance or support.

The idea of forging his own path, free from the constraints of established techniques, appealed to Aaron. He knew that the journey ahead would be challenging and filled with unknown dangers, but he was determined to take the risk. He reminded himself that this was what he had always wanted - to surpass his limits and carve out a unique path towards his goals.

With newfound resolve, Aaron decided to embrace the unknown and trust in his own abilities. He knew that the road ahead would be long and arduous, but he was ready to face it head-on. As he closed his eyes and focused on his inner self, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body, solidifying his determination.